Better behavior and a pick for tonight’s game

Better behavior and a pick for tonight’s game

I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but tonight there’s a fairly big football game being played at Patriot Stadium in Marion.

If you really haven’t heard about it, then that’s probably not a bad thing after last year’s emotional rollercoaster of a week leading up to the annual conference game between the Patriots and Blue Devils.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about the student bodies from schools getting excited about what’s going on with their classmates, while being proud and supporting them as well. That’s an awesome thing.

But last year went a little too far. Just off of the top of my head, Twitter was a battlefield, with everybody engaged in a free-for-all until the game ended after 10 p.m. that fateful Friday night at Hamilton-Shultz Field.

Additionally, you had a Marion assistant coach catching a cussing from a West Memphis fan on his way down to the visiting locker rooms at halftime.

You had a tasteful bit of vandalism at Marion High School with the letters “BMA” spray-painted on the sign in front of the building. I believe there was even a coffin left behind, but could be wrong on that front.

So far this week, all’s been quiet on the western front. My theory for that is that both teams lost last week, which always seems to take the air out of everyone’s balloon.

So what about that game? I’m not sure if you’ve heard (and frankly, I’m not sure how you haven’t heard if you’re from here), West Memphis has never lost to Marion.

To me, the battle is going to be in the trenches.

I know that’s like a cliché football term and everyone knows that, but I just feel like whoever plays better up front will win the game. I think Marion has the edge at quarterback, as Peyton Walker has thrown for over 300 yards the past two weeks.

Running back is a toss-up, though Marion’s Tom Young has slightly better credentials for topping 1,000 yards each of his first two years on the varsity.

The difference is that West Memphis will want to make Marion one-dimensional. Billy Elmore even said as much in yesterday’s West Memphis game advance.

If the young West Memphis defensive line consistently wins its matchup and their offensive line can move Marion’s defensive line, even though the Pats know that they’re running it, West Memphis will win.

If Marion’s patchwork offensive line can simply hold its own against West Memphis and keep Walker upright, and if the Marion defensive line can keep the Blue Devils under 180 rushing yards, I think the Pats win.

My official prediction that nobody asked for? West Memphis 31, Marion 21.

See you at the game.

Chuck’’s Corrnerr

By Chuck Livingston